can media inspire violent crimes

Can media inspire violent crimes? One problem that many
corporations ignore is the possibility that aggressive type people seek
reinforcement for their own destructive acts, either against themselves or
other people. Television violence, for instance, and the widespread
public concern accompanying it have led to calls for strict controls on the
depiction of violent programs. In their decision making, some
producers do not take responsibility for the equally important minority.
Instead, they may gear their content toward the masses, who crave
sexually explicit and violent action. Fortunately, this group has the ability
to disseminate violent action rationally, realizing that in reality, people
who commit acts of violence have to compensate for their actions by
taking full responsibility for the harm they cause others. Not everyone
can distinguish fact from fantasy. Not only is it the irrational people who
commit the crimes in our country, but our own children who may errantly
be learning from day one that nothing bad will happen to them if they
shoot their brother in the head with Daddy's pistol. Studies show that in
one week of content analysis of prime-time output on seven New York
City channels, there were 3,421 acts and threats of violence observed.
Children's fictional entertainment programs had three times the frequency
of violent acts or threats recorded in adult programs. (Gunter, p.13).
many of these acts were committed without any compensation for the
action without responsibility, then it must be acceptable behavior.
Similarly, aggressive adults are seeking reinforcement for their own
anti-social behavior from seeing attractive television characters behave in
the same way. Behavioral evidence has indicated that the anti-social
effects of violent television portrayals are strongest and are most likely to
occur among individuals who are already aggressive. (Palmer, p. 10).
The ethical question is, should television submit to mass appeal or take
into consideration the affects on certain members of society, including
children? The consequences of televising violence are not only harmful
to some viewers but concurrently affect the television stations in the form

of loss of viewers and possibly gaining a bad reputation. There are many
sources, including viewers' associations and popular journalism, which
have been condemning the depiction of violence in television programs
as a potentially dangerous and anti-social act on the part of those who
make and transmit programs. (Gunter p. 2). Still, even though these
associations have been condemning television violence, their efforts have
had little effect on the large money-making corporations. Therefore, the
decision, on the part of those in charge of the programs, should be one of
social responsibility. In his article, "Sex and Violence", Joe Saltzman
states, "If, as producers argue, violence is a part of the human condition,
then so is responsibility. In real life, you just do not commit mayhem and
then go on to the next scene." It is also necessary to realize that
violence is part of our nature and of our life. Almost everyday we are
participants and observers of violence, whether it is natural violence,
theatrical or fictional violence, sporting event violence, or political
violence. To exclude all scenes of violence form television would be to
falsify the picture of life. Television media can "encourage or aid"
destructive behavior, not "cause" it. There are usually many more casual
factors involved. To tell people what they can and can not say, write, and
televise is unconstitutional; however, it can be controlled and we can
hope that the decision makers will promote strong moral, ethical values in
their decision making or at least consider them, in order to help prevent
violent or self-destructive behavior. Gunter, Barrie; Dimensions of
Television Violence, p. 2, 13.Palmer, Edward; Children in the Cradle of
Television, p. 10.